Heathrow’s new terminal 2 is bright, beautiful and empty. Best of all, it has good food and doesn’t funnel you through the duty free

The thing that ruins airports is other people. The aneurysmal businessmen. The
breakfast pint downers. The people who put their shoes and belts back on
before moving away from the conveyor belt. Fortunately, Heathrow’s new
£2.5bn terminal 2 has spotted this design fault and done away with almost
all the other people. Unfortunately, this excellent strategy is only
temporary. Over the next six months, the number of airlines using T2 will
rise from one, United Airlines, to 26. The number of passengers will
increase tenfold.

This is a terrible shame because on day two of its opening, T2 is one of the
most tranquil, soothing spaces in Britain. It is library quiet. It is cool
and bright. Neither the enormous sculpture of a plane spiralling out of
control at the Turbine Hall-ish entrance nor the five staff who ask me if I
need any help before I’ve even got to